No description available.

published_or_final_version / Urban Studies / Master / Master of Social Sciences

No description available.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Master / Master of Education

The problem with which this study was concerned is the association between exposure to computer instruction and changes in attitudes toward computers. The study had a two-fold purpose. The first was to determine the attitudes of undergraduate students toward computers. The second was to determine whether exposure to information about computers and their uses is associated with changes in students' attitudes toward computers. A computer literacy test was administered to subjects as a pre-and post-test. The major findings of the study indicate that there were significant, positive attitude changes among students exposed to computer instruction. There were also significant increases in knowledge about computers among participants exposed to computer instruction. The major conclusions are that attitudes are not fixed and develop in the process of need satisfaction. Participants in the study experienced attitude changes, which supports the suggestion that attitudes are developmental. Futhermore, the attitude changes observed in the study occurred in the process of learning about computers, a process assumed to be rooted in the educational and/or career needs of the participants. Attitudes are shaped by the information to which people are exposed. Attitude modification seldom, if ever, occurs in a vacuum. Instead, it most often takes place in the context of information dissemination and exposure. In this study, attitudes toward computers changed positively and significantly as participants were exposed to information about computers.

The use of computers in the classroom could allow both educators and learners to achieve new capabilities. There are underlying factors, however, that are obstructing the adoption rate of computer use for instructional purposes in schools. The study focused on these problems with a view to determining which critical success factors promote a higher adoption rate of computer usage in education. This study derived its theoretical framework from various technology adoption and educational models Methodology: The nature of the study required a . Furthermore, it investigated ways in which computer technology could enhance learning. mixed methods approach to be employed, making use of both quantitative and qualitative data. Two questionnaires, one for the educators and one for the principals of the schools were hand-delivered to 60 secondary schools. Exploratory factor analysis and various internal consistency measures were used to assess and analyse the data.Conclusion: Educationists and policy-makers must include all principals and educators when technological innovations are introduced into schools. All these role-players need to be cognisant of the implications if innovations are not appropriately implemented. Including the use of computers in educator training programs is important so that pre-service educators can see the benefits of using the computer in their own teaching.

This study was undertaken to analyze the opinions of elementary school teachers in Korea about actual and desired levels of computer education and the sources of computer anxiety, with the object of developing guidelines for a teacher training program. A survey instrument was developed and tested to provide basic sample demographic data, tabulation of opinions on computer competencies, as well as an analysis of three variables of anxiety: 1) use of computers as educational tools, 2) lack of personal ability, and 3) lack of computer knowledge. The instrument was administered to a sample composed of 421 teachers, parents, or computer experts, and three analyses of variance procedures were performed to analyze the sources of computer anxiety. Analysis of the data revealed the following: 1) most of the teachers sampled had little experience with computers or computer applications; 2) older teachers or those with little experience reflected the highest degrees of computer anxiety; 3) training programs should focus on computers as instructional tools; 4) computer language training should be addressed on a broad level; 5) development of a broadly focused training program, ranging from basic instruction in computer capabilities to advanced programming skills; and 6) there is a need for support and commitment to computer education by educational administrators. A model for the development of guidelines for computer training programs was proposed, based upon the assumption that computer literacy cannot be equated with computer science. Based upon objectives derived from an analysis of the nature of Korean society, learners, and the state of their knowledge, the following program goals were suggested: 1) instructors should be made aware of computer capabilities and limitations; 2) classify the scope and sequence of programs to reduce computer anxiety in accordance with existing skill levels and levels of needs among teachers; 3) encourage a teacher-centered approach based upon voluntary participation; 4) select knowledgeable training personnel with communicative skills; 5) encourage small group training to enable collaborative learning; 6) extensive use of hands-on methods, with adequate hardware and software resources; 7) training periods of a length to assure provision of practical classroom skills; 8) provision of incentives; 10) focus upon the integration of computers into the instructional process. / Graduation date: 1992

The use of computers in the classroom could allow both educators and learners to achieve new capabilities. There are underlying factors, however, that are obstructing the adoption rate of computer use for instructional purposes in schools. The study focused on these problems with a view to determining which critical success factors promote a higher adoption rate of computer usage in education. This study derived its theoretical framework from various technology adoption and educational models Methodology: The nature of the study required a . Furthermore, it investigated ways in which computer technology could enhance learning. mixed methods approach to be employed, making use of both quantitative and qualitative data. Two questionnaires, one for the educators and one for the principals of the schools were hand-delivered to 60 secondary schools. Exploratory factor analysis and various internal consistency measures were used to assess and analyse the data.Conclusion: Educationists and policy-makers must include all principals and educators when technological innovations are introduced into schools. All these role-players need to be cognisant of the implications if innovations are not appropriately implemented. Including the use of computers in educator training programs is important so that pre-service educators can see the benefits of using the computer in their own teaching.

There is no abstract available for this thesis. / Department of Computer Science

M.Ed.